Box or package conveyor



July 4, 1961 c. w. ATTWOOD BOX OR PACKAGE CONVEYOR Filed June 16, 1958FIGA.

INVENTOR.

CHARLESW.ATTWOOD B. MM

ATTORNEYS Patented Ju1 4, 19s1 P ICC BOX R PACKAGE CONVEYOR Charles W.Attwood, 4118 S. Wayne Road, Wayne, Mich. Filed June 16, 1958, Ser. No.742,125 9 Claims. (Cl. 193-35) The present invention relates to box orpackage conveyors, that is, the type of conveyor consisting of asuitable frame or support provided on its upper surface with a series ofrollers and usually set on an incline so that a box or package or thelike will travel under the effect of gravity.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a conveyor which issimple and inexpensive to erect.

Another object is to provide a roller mounting which is quickly andeasily installed and easily and quickly replaced if that should becomenecessary or desirable.

Still other objects will be readily occur to those skilled in the artupon reference to the following description and the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, more or less diagrammatic, of a portionof a conveyor involving the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of one of the rollers and its mounting.

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the element of FIGURE 2 showing it in placein a frame or support member.

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of FIGURE 3.

In the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows a portion of a conveyor, made accordingto the present invention, as consisting of a pair of channel membersmounted on suitable supporting means such as legs 11. While two of thechannel members are shown, it is to be understood that more than two maybe used the number to be determined by the desired capacity of theconveyor.

In the channel members 10, a plurality of roller wheels 15 are somounted that they project above the plane of the upper fans of thechannel members so as to support the box or package to be conveyed.

As indicated, the preferred form of channel consists of a sheet metalstrip formed into a channel having its free edge portions turned inwardat substantially right angles and again at substantially right angles toproduce a mem- 1 her of rectangular cross section provided with alongitudinal slot, the edges of which are inturned flanges. In FIGURES 3and 4 the channel member 10* is shown with the slot at 10A and theinturned flanges at 10B.

The roller wheel element is shown in detail in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 ascomprising a roller wheel 15 which is of suitable metal and is mountedon antifriction bearings, the inner race being a tube 15A, the ends ofwhich project a short distance.

Since the detailed construction of the roller wheel itself is immaterialto the present invention, it is not being shown.

The roller wheel 15 is mounted in the U-shaped stirrup, indicated as awhole at 20, which consists of a strip of sheet metal, preferablysomewhat wider than the diameter of the wheel 15, bent to form aU-shaped stirrup and with its ends bent outward at right angles toprovide narrow flanges 21. The depth of the stirrup 20 from theunderside of the flanges 21 is slightly less than the depth of thechannel member. The bottom of the stirrup may be partially cut away asshown at 22.

In the side walls of the member 20, the metal is cut to provide tongues23, left integral at their bottom ends but free at their upper ends 23Awhich are located near but below the flanges 21. At 'the center line ofthe tongues 23 and near the upper end, the metal is punched and drawninwardly of the stirrup 20 to provide integral cylindrical bosses 24 ofa size to fit in the ends of the tubular axle 15A of the roller wheel.The wheel 15 is installed in its stirrup 20 by slightly spreading thetongues 23 and inserting the wheel, the brakes 24 snapping into the endsof the tube 15A.

With the roller wheel 15 in place in the stirrup 20, and the bosses 24in the ends of axle 15A, the assembly is forced down into channel 10until the flanges 21 rest upon the upper face of the channel to providea conveyor roller.

Using a channel of the kind described and shown,

means is provided to prevent longitudinal sliding of the,

stirrup, which means is shown at'ZS. This consists of spurs of metalprovided by angularly striking out portions of the edges of the stirrupmetal as shown. The stirrup 20 is pressed into the desired place in thechannel 10, the spurs 25 snapping under the edges of the flanges 103, sothat the stirrup will not readily' fall out. When the device is inplace, this spur is in position to dig into the flange 10B and preventlongitudinal movement. The flanges 10B also retain the sides of thestirrup 20 inwardly so that the wheel 15 will not be readily dislodged.If a different form of channel is used, the spurs 25 may be provided ina different location to suit.

As stated above, the conveyor is produced by inserting thestirrup-roller assembly into a suitably supported longitudinallyextending channel member and the assemblies spaced a short distanceapart. Two or more lines of rollers will be used, depending upon thedesired capacity.

I claim:

1. A roller assembly comprising a stirrup adapted for selectiveemplacement in a supporting member and a wheel carried by said stirrup,said stirrup comprising a channel substantially U-shaped incross-section, said wheel being disposed intermediate the sides of saidchannel and having a tubular axle disposed on an axis extendinglaterally between the sides of said channel, and the sides of saidchannel each having a boss on the inner surface projecting inwardly,said bosses supportingly removably engaged within the ends of saidtubular axle.

2. A roller assembly comprising a stirrup adapted for selectiveemplacement in a supporting member and a wheel carried by said stirrup,said stirrup comprising a channel substantially U-shaped incross-section, said wheel being disposed intermediate the sides of saidchannel and having a tubular axle disposed on an axis extendinglaterally between the sides of said channel, and the sides of saidchannel each having a substantially U-shaped slot providing tongueelements integral only on one edge with the side of the channel, each ofsaid tongue elements having means supportably engaging an end of saidwheel axle.

3. The assembly as defined in claim 2 and in which said means comprisesinwardly extending bosses integral with the tongues and engaged withinthe ends of the tubular axle.

4. A conveyor assembly comprising a support member having a longitudinalslot and a roller assembly, said roller assembly including a stirrup anda wheel carried thereby, said stirrup comprising a channel substantiallyU-shaped in cross-section and having outwardly extending flanges at theupper edges, said stirrup being carried within said support member slotwith the flanges supportably overlying the edges of the slot, saidstirrup having means frictionally engaging the edges of said slot andoperable to resist longitudinal displacement of said stirrup in saidslot.

5. The conveyor assembly as defined in claim 4 and in which said meanscomprises angularly outwardly bent portions of the ends of the channel.

6. The conveyor assembly as defined in claim 5 and in which the edges ofsaid channel slot are bent inwardly, said outwardly bent portions of thechannel adapted to be snapped into position under the edges of said slotwhereby to resist removal of said stirrup from the slot, and the edgesof the outwardly bent channel portions angularly engaging the edges ofsaid slot.

7. The conveyor assembly as defined in claim 6 and in which said wheelis disposed intermediate the sides of said channel and has an axledisposed on an axis extending laterally between the sides of saidchannel, the sides of said channel each having means on the innersurface supportably engaged with the ends of said axle, and the edges ofsaid slot retaining the sides of said channel inwardly to maintainengagement of said means with the ends of the axle.

8. A conveyor assembly comprising a support member having a longitudinalslot and a roller assembly, said roller assembly including a stirrup anda wheel carried thereby, said stirrup comprising a channel substantiallyU-shaped in cross-section, the sides of said stirrup being laterallyflexible and yieldingly urged outwardly in frictional contact with theedges of said slot in the support member on assembly therewith to resistlongitudinal displacement with respect to said support.

9. The assembly as defined in claim 8 and in which the sides of saidstirrup each have a tongue portion laterally flexible relative to thesides of said stirrup, an axle rotatably supporting said wheel, and saidtongue portions being yieldingly urged inwardly in supporting engagementwith the ends of said axle on assembly of the wheel with the stirrup.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS799,699 Winter Sept. 19, 1905 1,111,474 Lenfestey Sept. 22, 19141,743,255 Vervoort Jan. 14, 1930 2,172,380 Harris Sept. 12, 19392,739,540 Woldring Mar. 27, 1956 2,759,585 Timmons et a1. Aug. 21, 1956

